A handful of St. Paul residents shared Wednesday what they see as essential qualifications for the next police chief at a public hearing before the City Council.

Some said a background in mental health or social work should be required. One speaker said the new chief should be a proponent of community policing. Nearly all said they should have a proven record of collaborating with diverse cultures.

"We all deserve to be safe in our communities no matter whether we are white, Black or brown," Arline Datu said in a letter to the council.

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Under St. Paul's charter, the City Council sets the minimum qualifications for the job. On Wednesday, the council heard from members of ISAIAH, a coalition of St. Paul congregations and mosques advocating for racial equity, affordable housing and other social justice causes.

The council will consider public feedback, possibly make some revisions and is expected to finalize that list of qualifications this month.

Council President Amy Brendmoen said this is just the start of the selection process. The minimum qualifications, she said, are about "quantifiable" metrics.

"We have a large opportunity in front of us to have a robust conversation about the attributes we are looking for," Brendmoen said. "When we publish our qualifications, we are really trying to cast a wide net to get the largest pool of candidates that are qualified."

Part of that larger process includes formation of the St. Paul Chief of Police Examining Committee, an advisory board appointed by the City Council that will review applications and recommend five candidates to Mayor Melvin Carter. He will appoint the chief for a six-year term starting in late June.

According to a draft before the council, minimum qualifications for chief candidates now being considered include:

  • A bachelor's degree in criminal justice, police science, public administration, management, business administration or a related discipline.
  • Four years of administrative-level experience as a chief, assistant chief, deputy chief or the equivalent rank of a St. Paul police commander, which must include supervision and leadership of sworn law enforcement personnel.
  • A proven record of success working in a racially diverse community and developing strong labor-management collaboration.
  • A demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in the Police Department.
  • Strong administrative, financial, operational and organizational development skills with demonstrated skills in leadership, communication, innovation, community relations and cultural competency.

St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtellsaid in October that he would not seek reappointment when his six-year term expires in June. St. Paul and Minneapolis are now searching for new police chiefs, looking for leaders who can reduce violent crime and take a more innovative approach to public safety after George Floyd's murder in 2020 in Minneapolis.

St. Paul officials have promised to release more details about their search process this week. Carter and the City Council have publicly debated how to best balance their desires to hire the most qualified candidate and ensure the smoothest transition as Axtell prepares to step down.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has chosen California-based Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc. to help find a "reform-minded" leader to replace Chief Medaria Arradondo, who retired in January.

Both cities say they hope to narrow down the list of candidates this summer.